KYIV -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has outlined a set of measures that he says would turn the tide of the war in Kyiv's favor and possibly end the conflict with Russia no later than next year, even as the embattled country struggles to stave off a slow but relentless advance by Russian forces and the decimation of energy infrastructure ahead of the coming winter.
Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine
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In his speech to parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, on October 16, Zelenskiy called for the "lifting by partners of restrictions on the use of long-range weapons on the entire territory of Ukraine occupied by Russia and on Russian territory and on enemy military infrastructure" and help in "equipping our reserve brigades."
His five-point "victory plan," in which he ruled out ceding Ukrainian territory, also called for an unconditional invitation for Kyiv to join the NATO military alliance and the deployment of a strategic nonnuclear deterrent package in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader said he would present the plan on October 17 at a European Union summit in Brussels.
He gave no details but added the plan had been discussed with leaders from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Germany.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Ukraine needed to "sober up," accusing Zelenskiy of presenting a "camouflaged" U.S. plan. Moscow has vehemently opposed Ukraine's inclusion in NATO, using the prospect as one of its pretenses for launching a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.
Kyiv had been expecting a response to the plan from its allies during a meeting of the Ramstein group of some 50 of Ukraine's partners planned for last week in Germany, but the gathering was postponed after Biden canceled his trip as the United States grappled with the effects of Hurricane Milton.
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Exclusive: Russia Recruits Ukrainian Kids To Burn Military Hardware For Cash
Zelenskiy has said he expects a response to the plan before the November 5 presidential election in the United States -- Ukraine's main ally and provider of financial and military help -- where a victory by Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump could cast doubt about Washington's continued support for Kyiv.
Zelenskiy's presentation comes as Russia continues to keep up the pressure on Ukraine's cities and infrastructure while Russian forces are advancing in the east toward the crucial logistics hub of Pokrovsk.
LISTEN: Ruth Deyermond, senior lecturer in the Department of War Studies at King's College London, joins host Steve Gutterman to discuss the situation on the battlefield and the latest wave of talk about talks.
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Perception And Reality In The War Against Ukraine
On October 16, Russia attacked Ukraine with 136 drones and two guided missiles. Most of them were neutralized by Ukraine's air-defense system, Kyiv's air force reported on Telegram.
A total of 51 drones were shot down over the Sumy, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Ternopil, Kherson, Kharkiv, Zhytomyr, Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolayiv, Kyiv, Poltava, Chernihiv, and Chernivtsiy regions, the air force said, adding that another 60 Russian drones were neutralized as a result of electronic warfare measures.
Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its air-defense systems had downed three Ukrainian drones -- two over Belgorod and one over the Voronezh region.